Past Modal Practice: Should + Present Perfect.

"At the Opera" Mary Cassatt, 1879

Use Should + Present Perfect Tense to comment about a past action. You're saying that the past action didn't happen in the best way. The person doing the action made a mistake. The speaker supposes that the past action would have turned out better if the recommended action had been followed.










1. I didn't ask my employer for a raise.

You should have asked your employer for a raise.

2. I parked in a towaway zone yesterday.

You shouldn't have parked in a towaway zone.

3. Bill didn't tell Julie he was married.

He should have told her he was married.

4. Our team didn't practice enough before the game.

moreYour team should have practiced more before the game.

5. I forgot to clean my glasses before the movie.

You should have cleaned your glasses before the movie.

6. Maria and Jose left their passports in their hotel room.

They shouldn't have left their passports in their hotel room.

7. The children are cranky because they didn't take a nap this afternoon.

They should have taken a nap this afternoon. "cranky" means "irritable, moody."

8. My sink didn't work very well, and I didn't call the plumber. Now, it's worse.

You should have called the plumber.

9. I drank a lot of coffee before bedtime last night and couldn't sleep at all.

You shouldn't have drunk coffee before bedtime.

10. Steve didn't wear a suit to his job interview yesterday.

He should have worn a suit to his job interview.

11. I didn't bring an umbrella with me to work and it rained cats and dogs.
You should have brought an umbrella to work. "It rained cats and dogs" means "It rained a lot."

12. Lydia went away for the weekend without watering her house plants. Unfortunately, they died.

She should have watered her house plants before she went away.

13. Dave forgot to put his car keys on the hook where they belong. He couldn't find them this morning.

He should have put his car keys on the hook where they belong.

14. We didn't buy a map and, as a result, we got lost on dark roads in Oklahoma City.

You should have bought a map.

15. I got up late and just missed the bus. So, I didn't get to the meeting on time.

You shouldn't have gotten up late.

16. Sally didn't take the cookies out of the oven soon enough. So, they burned.

soonerShe should have taken the cookies out of the oven sooner .

17. I didn't go to the opera with you last night. I really missed a good performance.

You should have gone to the opera with us last night.

18. Fred didn't drive carefully enough during his driving test.

moreHe should have driven more carefully.

19. Olivia didn't dance well enough at her audition last weekend.

betterShe should have danced better at her audition.

20. Andrew bought a used computer and it crashed the day after he bought it.

new computerHe shouldn't have bought a used computer.(or, he should have bought a new computer.)

21. Pratt didn't speak clearly enough at his presentation yesterday.

more clearlyHe should have spoken more clearly.

22. Sally was very late to work yesterday.

so lateShe shouldn't have been so late.